Robert Rucker

Robert Wade Rucker

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 172 lb.
• Born October 14, 1924 in Roswell, GA USA
• Died May 29, 1992 in Rome, GA USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Robert Rucker played in the minor leagues from 1947 to 1952 and in 1954, spending most of his seven-year career in the Class-D Florida State League. Perhaps Rucker's best season unadjusted for league was his very first - in 1947, with the Greenville Lions of the Alabama State League, Rucker hit .311 with 168 hits, 36 doubles and 15 home runs - all career highs. He also drive in 88 runs. He tied for 5th in the league in both doubles and home runs (tied with Perry Roberts in the latter department).

In 1948, Rucker hit .295 and slugged .433 with 76 RBI for the Daytona Beach Islanders. He tied for 4th in the FSL in triples (11) and tied for 6th in home runs (9) in the more pitcher-friendly FSL. The next season, he fell to .247/?/.331 for Daytona Beach. He had a fine 1950 for the Palatka Azaleas, batting .290/.377/.419 with 33 doubles, 8 home runs, 18 steals, 86 RBI and 83 runs. He tied for 5th in the FSL in two-baggers and tied for 7th in home runs. In the outfield, he had 19 errors, second-worst in the FSL, and 18 assists. He also managed the team for part of the year.

In 1951, he hit .331 with a .486 slugging percentage and 13 home runs in 114 games with the Rome Red Sox of the Georgia-Alabama League. He made the top 10 in average, tied for 7th in homers again and again tied for 5th in doubles (28). During 1952, he batted .300/.355/.458 with 13 steals, 94 runs and 92 RBI between the St. Augustine Saints and the Islanders. He was 8th in the league in doubles (31), 7th in home runs (11) and in the top 10 in slugging. He played at least 20 games at each second base, third base, right field and left field.

He ended his career with the 1954 Daytona Beach club, batting .281 with 26 doubles, 6 triples, 10 homers, 103 RBI and a .402 slugging percentage. He was 10th in the FSL in doubles, 3rd in RBI and tied Bama Rowell for 4th in home runs, still one of the league's top sluggers.

He served in the United States Navy during World War II.

Year-by-Year Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Organization	Playoffs	Notes
1950	Palatka Azaleas	Florida State League	10-21	8th	none		replaced Bitsy Mott (31-77) on July 31
1952	St. Augustine Saints	Florida State League	2-7	--	none	--	replaced Bert Shepard (2-13) on April 29 replaced by Stan Karpinski (6-17) on May 8